Did you know that going vegan is one of the most impactful things you can do to reduce your own contributions to climate change? That's because methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than C02 but degrades much more quickly. If enough people reduce or eliminate their meat, dairy, and egg consumption, that will have a rapid effect.

By taking the Veg2Vegan Challenge, you're doing your part!

Dairy production requires vast amounts of resources like water, land, and feed for cows. The greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farms contribute significantly to climate change, and the pollution from manure and runoff harm local ecosystems and water sources. By eliminating dairy consumption, we lessen the demand for resource-intensive practices and reduce our carbon footprint.

The egg industry also causes ecological harm. From the energy-intensive incubators used to hatch millions of chicks destined for egg farms and factories to the inherent waste of feeding plants to chickens and then eating their eggs (rather than just eating the plants directly) to the pollution created by those egg farms and factories, the environmental impact of eggs is profoundly negative.

Greens like kale are an excellent source of calcium, so check out Tracye's Nine Ways to Eat More Greens, which includes two amazing recipes: Pineapple-Spinach Smoothie (which sounds perfect for breakfast time) and Balsamic Brussels Sprouts (which would be perfect as part of an elegant dinner.)

This Oxford University study of the environmental impact of different diets led its lead author to conclude that "A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth, not just greenhouse gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use, and water use."